Sumerian Cosmology

Sumerian Cosmology is the collection of myths, stories, tales, legends, and even mentions that tell us about how the Sumerians understood creation. The stories they told about how the universe was formed, the role of the gods, and the creation of humanity, and what happens after death.

In one version of the Creation of Humanity According to the Sumerians, we were created by Enlil with his powerful pickaxe, adorned with lapis lazuli, gold, and silver — fit for a king. He created the world first, using his pickaxe (sometimes a hoe) to build the brick mould that he fashioned us from. Then he created us from mud. [2] (This is taken from the Song of the Hoe).

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Sumerian Cosmology

The Sumerians envisioned the universe as a closed dome, surrounded by primordial saltwater sea — this was personified as the goddess Nanna.

Underneath the very feet of the Sumerian farmers, shepherds, city-dwellers, bakers, and priests, the terrestrial Earth, formed the base of a great dome created with the sky, protecting them from the primordial waters (Nammu).

Below the terrestrial world was an underworld, and a freshwater ocean called the Abzu. [1]

The deity of the dome-shaped firmament was named An, and the earth was Ki. First it was believed that the underworld was an extension of Ki, but later this evolved into the concept of Kur — the Sumerian Underworld. [1]

The primordial saltwater sea was named Nammu, but became known as Tiamat during and after the Sumerian Renaissance. [1] Tiamat was the personification of primordial chaos, before the universe was settled, and as it force against which the hero struggles in his plan to defeat and tame this primordial being. In the beginning this hero was Enki. Later on it was his son, when he rose to the primary seat of the pantheon. [1]

Sumerian War In Heaven

The stories of Sumerian Cosmology had the original War In Heaven — a battle among the gods. This found its way down into Abrahamic Tradition through the Tanahk (Hebrew Bible), and made its way into Biblical Traditions. We also see its reflection in the Olympian–Titan wars of Greek Mythology.

In the Sumerian version, there were a number of internal conflicts among the Anunnaki (both implied, and outright stated). However, the earliest battle was a cosmic battle between the gods and a horde of monsters. [i]

Heaven According To the Sumerians (7 or 3 Heavens)

The Sumerians regarded Heaven as a series of three sky domes, each being made of a different previous stone. Sometimes the number of sky domes or “heavens” was three, though sometimes there were recorded seven heavens, or seven sky domes. These covered a flat earth.

Each dome was made of a different type of precious stone.

The lowest dome of heaven was made of jasper and was the home of the stars. The middle dome of heaven was made of saggilmut and was the abode of the Igigi. The highest and outermost dome was said to be made of luludanitu, and was attributed to An.

The celestial bodies were each equated with specific deities as well. The planet Venus was believed to be Inanna, the son was her brother Utu, the god of justice, and the moon was their father Nanna. Ordinary mortals could not go to heaven. This was the abode of the gods. Mortals went to the dark underworld deep beneath the surface of the Earth, the frightening Kur (later known as Irkalla). [1]

Afterlife :: Kur

The Sumerian afterlife was located in a dreary cavern deep under the Earth. Those who died were believed to continue a shadowy version of the life they once lived on Earth, eating and drinking, though only eating dry dust, and only drinking if family members or loved ones poured libations through the straw sticking out of your grave.

This bleak domain was known as Kur, and was ruled by the goddess Ereshkigal. All souls went to the same afterlife and a persons actions during life, quality or character, had no effect whatsoever on how they would be treated in the world to come. They were believed to eat nothing but dry dust.

Family members would ritually pour libations down clay pipe in their grave. However, some believe that treasures buried with some individuals were intended as gifts for Utu or the Anunnaki so that they may receive special favours in the underworld. During the Third Dynasty of Ur (Ur III) it was believed that a person’s treatment in the afterlife had to do with how they were buried. A rich burial mean they would be treated well, while a poor burial means that one would be treated poorly, and would then haunt the living. [1]

The entrance to Kur was believed to be in the Zagros Mountains to the far east. It had seven gates through which the sould had to pass. The god Neti was the gatekeeper. Ereshkigal’s sukkal (messenger) was the god Namtar.

Galla were a class of demons believed to reside in the underworld, their primary purpose seem to having been to drag unfortunate mortals back to Kur, frequently mentioned in magical texts, some describe there as being seven. [1]

Several extant poems describe the galla dragging the god Dumuzid into the underworld, later Mesopotamians knowing this underworld by its East Semitic name Irkalla. [1]

During the Akkadian Period Nergal was appointed ruler of Irkalla, with Ereshkigal then becoming his husband.